(COLOMBO) – Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday morning (24) for a one-day visit amidst a tight security cordon in most parts of the island-nation.
He was welcomed at the Mattala International Airport by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.
Dr. Raisi visited the country on an invitation from the Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and together the two Heads of State will inaugurate a gigantic irrigation project that was partly funded by Tehran.
Known as the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) it will add 290 GWh to the national grid, while supplying water to 6,000 hectares (15,000 acres) of farmland and drinking water to thousands of families in three districts.
The two countries will also endorse five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the Islamic Republic.
This is the first visit of an Iranian President to Sri Lanka after former President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit in April 2008.
Stringent security measures have been put in place for the visit of the Iranian President that will include tri-forces personnel and police from the Presidents Security Division.
Apart from that several roads have also been closed on the routes taken by the visiting Iranian President as a security precautionary measure.
